Dragon Age: Walking her own line
by mean.blackjack47
Summary: After a turbulent year in charge, Solona Amell has to answer for some of her choices


The wind seemed to howl down the stony corridor as Solona fiddled with one of the leather straps on her Warden's armour. She had been summoned to Weisshaupt Fortress high up in the Anderfels to speak with the First Warden. Solona had never been to this side of the border and the young Warden Commander wanted to research some more of the history but her meeting was much more pressing. She exhaled softly, Solona looked down at Spellbinder who was wriggling on his back, demanding his belly be rubbed. She let out a soft smile and moved down, the flat of her hand ruffling and combing through his short stubby hair. It really was a dog's life, Solona thought to herself as she scratched his belly. A delighted snort left Spellbinder's nose and he happily rolled back onto his front paws.

She had met back up with Spellbinder after he had been taken away to Weisshaupt Fortress to sire a new selection of pups, a most enviable task, Zevran had joked with her as they travelled from Denerim to Vigil's Keep. She hadn't even had a chance to see her beloved Anora after her… Turbulent year in charge of the Keep. It had been there that her first visit with the Architect and the main reason as to why she was now sitting in the long and empty corridors outside of the First Warden's office.

She steepled her fingers and then let them fall loose while she tried to keep herself occupied. Her eyes flicked up and followed an elven servant walk down the long, empty corridor and disappear into a room down towards the opposite end of where Solona was sitting. She didn't mind the waiting, nor the silence. Her years in the Ferelden Circle had taught her the serenity in silence and she had no problem being left alone with her own thoughts. Of course, being born with the gift of magic never let her really be left alone. She could still hear the offers from demons trapped within the veil that simply wanted to take over her body and let her become an abomination.

The Hero of Ferelden could not let that happen.

She had already sacrificed enough of her own personal feelings in stopping the Blight. She could still see Shale's eyes dimming as she had been forced to kill the Golem her party had recruited in Honnleath when she took umbrage with the fact that Solona needed the Anvil of the Void to make more Golems. Of course, now on the right side of the end of the Blight, Solona had needed those Golems, they were instrumental in blocking off Darkspawn reinforcements and now were moving to take back vital Thaigs in Orzammar.

A Warden did what she must...

The words seemed hollow in Solona Amell's mind and in the times after the Blight she wondered what Duncan would think of her. Would he be ashamed? Would he be proud? She had let enough of her mentor's down in her life and she didn't want to add another to the list. The Rivaini born Warden faded from her mind as the door down the corridor swung open and one of her own recruits stepped through the door. Her hazel eyes met Nathanial Howe's eyes who offered her a curt nod and then walked on down the corridor not stopping to talk to her. Solona chewed on her bottom lip before looking towards the human woman near to the First Warden's office.

She stood and followed the beckoning woman. Her breath caught in her mouth as she headed down towards where the First Warden was going to be. The young woman nodded her head politely as Solona stepped into the office, the door shut behind her in a somewhat ominous fashion and the young Warden Commander was left alone with an Elven male who was sitting in a big, leather chair, his hand scratching at a piece of paper. She stood to attention and waited for the man to address her.

His hands left the parchment and she could almost feel the tension in the air as the First Warden stood up. He had: tanned, bronze skin, long black hair that draped over his shoulders and piercing blue eyes studied Solona as she drank in the sight of his Dalish tattoos, they covered his face, not entirely unlike Velanna, the former Dalish Elf and one of her last recruits. After their events with the Architect, Solona and her entire team from Vigil's Keep had been brought back to meet the First Warden and Solona was the last to go.

Velanna was fairly… Barbed… And while she and Solona now had an understanding, she was sure that the meeting between the two elven Wardens would have been rather explosive. A clearing of his throat dragged Solona out of her musings and she straightened up back into her formal stand.

"So… A rather eventful first term as Warden-Commander?"

"Ah… You could say that First Warden."

Solona couldn't pin down the accent there was certainly a hint of Dalish in there, but it also sounded like the man was from the Free Marches, that was natural though. Dalish Elves did like to travel.

"You will tell me about the choice the Architect gave you Amell. You will spare no details."

Solona took a deep breath and started to explain.

"I had led a small team, myself, Nathanial Howe, Anders and Justi-Kristoff into the Mother's lair. We had fought our way through wave after wave of Darkspawn and Children. We had reached the bottom of a tower when the Architect approached me. He told me that he could stop the remaining two Blights. He… He offered me a choice. All he needed was the blood of Grey Wardens and he believed that that would be enough to possibly stop further Blights."

The First Warden gritted his teeth and shook his head. His gloved hand threaded through his long hair before he looked over at the Mage and continued her story.

"So you took this opportunity and allowed this… Monstrosity to live. Do you understand what you did Amell? You have allowed a new form of poison to latch itself onto Thedas! Creators only knows what sort of terrors the next generation of our brothers and sisters will know!"

Ever the terrible Wicked Grace player, Solona's lip twitched, an awful tell that would have surely let her superior know that she was mad. What she had done was stop the next set of Blights and she wasn't going to stop there.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself Amell?"

Solona closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths before opening her eyes and speaking slowly.

"Four thousand, seven hundred and twelve."

"Pardon?"

"Four thousand, seven hundred and twelve. That was the very rough body count of the Fifth Blight. The same Blight I stopped and lived to tell the tale of might I remind you. If my actions damn me, then so be it. But I am more than willing to let a few dozen Grey Wardens die if it means that we won't ever have another Blight."

The First Warden slammed a fist down on the table and was now shouting at the former bookworm from the Ferelden Circle.

"THOSE ARE YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AMELL! HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT THEM LIKE THAT!"

"AND HOW MANY MORE BROTHERS AND SISTERS WILL LIVE FIRST WARDEN?" Solona had broken the stand to attention and was now peering face to face with her Commanding Officer and the man who looked ready to break her in half with his bare hands. She took a few moments, centered herself and stood back up. "I understand this decision seems barbaric but if it means that the next generation of Wardens are simple protectors of Thedas without having to kill Darkspawn then frankly, I'm for it. I have made my decision and I do not know where the Architect has gone." Solona looked to the floor before looking up at the First Warden. "I await your decision."

The First Warden was quiet for a moment seeming to calm himself down as well. He licked at his bottom lip before standing up and walking over to his large open window. He crossed his arms behind his back and didn't turn to face her as he spoke again.

"A missive arrived this morning. It was addressed for you by way of Seneschal Varel at Vigil's Keep. I believe it's to do with the Golems of Amgarrak. You might want to see to it."

Solona was quiet for a few moments while the First Warden looked out of the window. "Pardon me Ser, far be it for me to look a gift bronto in the mouth but am I going to be punished?"

"You were… I wanted to see how you responded to me challenging your authority. I want independent thinkers in my Wardens and I certainly want my Warden's to make decisions that they can stand by. For what it's worth I would have made the exact same choice. Now go… Solona."

Solona stared into the back of the First Warden before politely bowing and leaving the room. Spellbinder saw his Mistress walking towards him and eagerly moved to trot alongside her, his face looking up to query her.

"I did well Binder. I did well."


End file.
